At the new reception center in Bailleul, the temporary relief of migrant families

A bed, showers, food: several families migrant brought from the coast tastes Tuesday to the relative comfort of the new Center of reception and examination of the situations (CAES) of Bailleul (North), temporary relief awaiting to know If they can stay in France.

“It’s a lot better than nothing,” smiles Baiham, a 36-year-old Iraqi, despite the all-but-enchanting setting of the center, an old Formule 1 hotel surrounded by the motorway leading to Dunkirk and an industrial zone.

The previous days, he survived in Calais with his wife and his 13-year-old son, still determined to go to England. For several weeks, “we tried to pass by boat, via trucks, but it cost us too much money,” says Baiham, his eyes circled.

But on Monday, his small family and 37 other migrants from Calais and Grande-Synthe agreed to be sheltered in Bailleul by the state, with a view to an asylum application. They spent their first peaceful night there for a long time.

Aram, a 33-year-old Iraqi, his wife and two children, enjoy the minimal comfort provided by their two modest rooms, showers and television. “Yesterday, we lived in the woods of Calais, sleeping under a tree, sometimes awakened by the police, while here we have respect,” said this former journalist, specializing in philosophy.

– ‘We are worried’ –

In the small hall of the building of a floor, a place of conviviality is improvised. Baiham, Aram and other Kurdish families discuss by cooking on small electric cooking plates.

Ⓒ AFP – PHILIPPE HUGUEN – | A family in the entrance of the new Center for Reception and Situational Examination (CAES) in Bailleul (Nord), August 8, 2017

Ari, 30 years old, tells the story of her experiences: “My wife and I left Iraq for Germany two and a half years ago, and after two years we were refused asylum. So we went to Calais and Dunkirk and tried to get to England, and we even spent three days in jail, but yesterday the Ofii (French Office) Immigration and Integration, ed.) Proposed this place “.

Marion Mestdag, Deputy Director of the school run by Adoma, said: “Yesterday, they all got very tired by the sleepless nights spent watching their children.” For the manager, the relative proximity of the center with the coast (45 km) can participate in its “success”.

Although reassured by their shelter, migrants are already projecting on the continuation, not without apprehension.

Indeed, the center is destined to host only a few days. State services are expected to come soon for the first stages of the asylum application, before eventually referring the migrants to the Asylum Seeker Center (CADA).

“We’re a little worried,” Baiham said. “This center is temporary, but there are no services, and we are given just four euros per day and per person to buy us food. We will leave in the next few days, He was obviously unaware of the upcoming immigration visit.

On Tuesday morning in Troisvaux (Pas-de-Calais), another CAES hosted 45 Eritrean, Sudanese and Afghan migrants. Marion Mestdag promises that the 200 seats available in CAES will soon be increased to 300.